Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” -Genesis 3:1-12
I. God’s specific intent from the beginning was that He would be Father to humanity.
A. Love being God’s nature desired expression in the form of relationship.
B. Humanity, not angels, were chosen by God to be His children.
C. Being God’s sons (daughters) means:
1. Image= extension of HIs Presence
2. Likeness= expression of His Person (character)
3. Dominion= exhibition of His power and authority
D. God gives a son to represent Him. Central to this concept is representational “rule” or the authority to order, organize and implement God’s purposes and plans in the earth.
1. Isaiah 9:6, “…a son is given and the government shall be upon HIs shoulders.”
2. This authority to represent God is not to be used to insure our own provision and protection, but for the flourishing of God’s creation in God’s purposes.
II. The Gospel of the Father’s Love
A. The fall was a separation of relationship with the Father.
B. A son was lost, therefore the Son was given to restore the relationship.
C. Jesus will not leave us as orphans.
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” -John 14:15-21
1. The context of John 14 is Jesus sending the Holy Spirit.
2. The Holy Spirit is the Father’s blessings because the Spirit makes possible the full restoration of our identity and calling as sons (daughters) of the living God.
3. Acts 2:32,33 gives us Peter’s revelations and understanding of what has taken place on the day of Pentecost, the promise of the Father is poured out!
III. How God raises up His children.
A. Maturing as a child of God means growing in cooperation with God in the advancement of His Kingdom, plans, and purposes in all areas of life.
B. Paul’s argument in Galatians 4 is that the Law does not make sons but slaves.
Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. -Gal. 3:23-29; Gal. 4:1-7
C. The Spirit of God accomplishes multiple purposes in the life of the believer.
1. Seals our adoptions as the children of God.
2. Grants access of the nature and character of God to the inward life (fruit of the Spirit)
3. Equips with gifts necessary to represent God in the circumstances of our lives.
4. Guides, instructs, convicts and teaches how to accomplish God’s purposes.
IV. The Holy Spirit will use several different means of maturing us.
A. Personal experience: revelation, conviction, encounter, comfort, encouragement, etc.
B. Equips us internally and externally: the wilderness experience, learning to trust in God’s Father-heart, gifts of the Spirit, etc.
C. Arranges relationships with other children of God such as the body of Christ, the 5 fold ministry and mentors or fathers/mothers.
V. The Father’s intention
A. That His glory and goodness would be on full display in the earth through His representatives, His sons, and that the culture of heaven would transform the world.
B. To accomplish this God specifically:
1. Redeems man back to the Father/son relationship with Him through Jesus’ atoning work.
2. Gives man His Spirit.
3. Matures Him inwardly to participate in His holiness (goodness of character) Heb. 12:9-10
4. Equips His sons to accomplish His purposes. Eph. 4:11-16
5. Sets His son into a community of sons together on mission.
VI. The Father’s House
A. Salvation is more than “going to heaven when you die.”
1. Salvation is restoration of God’s original intent for humanity.
2. Salvation is relational reconciliation with God as our Father.
3. Salvation reestablishes the our purpose in this life as sons and daughters of God functioning as His representatives in the earth to see His purposes accomplished in all areas of our existence.
4. The Holy Spirit is the Father’s Blessing (Gift) to facilitate and administer all that God accomplished in saving us in Jesus Christ.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Get registered for the 6/24-7/29 Wednesday Night 7pm Holy Spirit Class if you’ve not already done so.
Discussion Guide for Community Leaders
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: We are designed to live in the deeper reality of God. This is the more certain reality of eternity which gave birth to the temporal realm that will one day pass away.
Matt 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. NIV
The eternal reality of God’s Word and God’s Truth will remain. Building our lives on this reality is what will last and must be our priority. Let’s go deeper together.
See The Invisible Do The Impossible
2 Cor 4:18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. NIV
We’ve been starting our groups with the first and primary question that we want to continue even more specifically during this season:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
The Fathers intention is that His glory and goodness would be on full display in the earth through his sons and daughters in a way that the culture of heaven would transform our world.
Gen 3:9-12 But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
2. When Adam and Eve sinned there were immediate results. What does Gen 3:9-12 reveal about attitudes that resulted from the Fall?
3. What would you see as the primary differences between the orphan mindset and the mindset of a secure son or daughter?
Fear and blame erupt immediately as a result of losing identity as a son and daughter of God. This reveals an orphan mindset which lacks identity and abounds in fear resulting in blame.
We were sinners needing a Savior but Jesus didn’t leave us that way. The truth is Jesus didn’t die for us because we are sinners. He died because we are sons who had lost our way. His promise is to redeem us not leaving us as fatherless orphans.
John 14:16-18 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. NIV
Gal 4:6-7 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. NIV
The Law makes slaves, but the spirit raises up sons and daughters. The Law can give the regulations but only by God’s Spirit can we step into places of growth and maturity the way God desires for us to know. At times there can be such a discrepancy between knowing what we ought to do and doing what we know to do.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. What are some ways we can purpose to grow in a deeper maturity as sons and daughters of God together and individually?
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Get registered for the 6/24-7/29 Wednesday Night 7pm Holy Spirit Class if you’ve not already done so.